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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28365372">To Repair With Gold</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Hawk/pseuds/A_Hawk'>A_Hawk</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Of Feathers And Fangs AU [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Difference, Blood and Violence, Dark, Dark Naruto, Darkfic, Dom/sub, Don't Like Don't Read, Dubious Consent, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Extremely Dubious Consent, M/M, Master/Slave, NaruSasu - Freeform, Non-Graphic Violence, Physical Abuse, Psychological Trauma, Submissive sasuke, Time Travel, Whump, dark stuff here. not for everyone, negative narusasu, very dominant naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:48:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,145</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28365372</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Hawk/pseuds/A_Hawk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel of Of Feathers And Fangs. Sasuke dies in battle. Naruto doesn't accept it. He can't, and he won't. He will do anything to have him back. Even travelling through time to get him back. DARKFIC. Dark Narusasu. Dark Naruto. Read at your own risk.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Of Feathers And Fangs AU [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/875865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>69</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Eulogy for a Shadow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the sequel to Of Feathers And Fangs.</p><p>"to repair with gold" refers to kintsukuroi, in english meaning repairing with gold, the japanese art of which repairing pottery not hiding the damage but highlighting with gold lacquer, or, the concept of seeing beauty in the flawed or imperfect.</p><p>For those who don't know OFAF: you can read this story as a standalone piece but it's better to read OFAF first, as there are many hints to characters' motivations and stuff that happened in that fic.</p><p>Being the sequel of OFAF it also means that it's a sequel of In The Dark, my post ending dark oneshot about his imprisonment and brainwashing and how they influenced him later; on this fic I base my characterization of Sasuke and his motivations, especially for OFAF and What He Wanted.</p><p>So it's better if you read both first.</p><p>For those who don't know OFAF and those who do, a huge warning.</p><p>This is a DARKFIC with heavy physical and emotional abuse, non-con and violence. It's Narusasu, but dark. Dark Narusasu. With Dark Naruto.</p><p>OFAF was dark NS too. This is its sequel so it's dark NS.</p><p>This means that if you can't handle a Naruto who's not a ball of sunshine, and NS that's not cute and romantic, DON'T READ THIS FIC cause it's not for you.</p><p>And if you read it and don't like it don't bitch at me because you see all the warnings here, if you disagree with the characterization/dynamics/whatever, I couldn't care less (and I probably would disagree with yours but wouldn't waste time on them).</p><p>I explained my reasons for dynamics and characterization in the notes for In The Dark and OFAF so I won't be as wordy with explanations here. Maybe. Or maybe not.</p><p>As always, a reminder that I put a lot of effort in my writing and everything is exactly how I want it to be. Repetitions are on purpose, because I focus on inner dialogues and introspection and in people's minds there are repetitions and confusion. stream of consciousness anyone?</p><p>I don't follow new stuff so when I mention the new generation children it's briefly and in a way that is related to my plot. I strongly hate the kids and the wives, so if you like them prepare yourself for negativity towards them, as that's what I think. And I'm not sorry.</p><p>Again, this is a dark NS and will always be dark or darker. Read at your own risk or don't read.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>"<em>Full of broken thoughts that I cannot repair" (Nine Inch Nails, Hurt)</em></p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>It's a rainy day in Konoha but no one seems to notice.</p><p>Everyone is focused on the Hokage delivering his eulogy.</p><p>"Sasuke Uchiha was the best of his clan. He made mistakes in his life but he also made amends, becoming a perfect shinobi of Konoha, fighting like one, and dying like one".</p><p>No one would admit it but they expected heartfelt words, the kind of speech that in the past had moved even enemies, bringing them to his side.</p><p>No one expected empty rhetoric instead.</p><p>As if his heart is being buried as well, some think, but they are wrong: they are mistaking the Hokage, whose speech is the most appropriate, and whose composure is inspiring everyone else to be just as strong, with Uzumaki Naruto, who, on the other hand, can't articulate his feelings for the loss of his <em>best friend</em>, the one he chased for years, the one he fought, the one he defeated.</p><p>The one he saved from the darkness.</p><p>The one he brought back in the village where he belonged.</p><p>
  <em>The one he tricked into thinking that he, Uzumaki Naruto, would change the shinobi world when all he ever wanted was to be respected and admired as Hokage.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The one he belittled and gaslighted into believing that he, Uchiha Sasuke, had always been wrong, from his goals to understanding his brother, who had entrusted him to Naruto who, after meeting him only once, during the battle against revived Nagato, had gotten him instead.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The one he guilt-tripped, so that everything he did to him was justified and deserved for leaving the village. For leaving him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The one he touched, kissed, taken, beaten, many times than he can count, and every time was the same and different at the same time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The one he owned, in every possible way.</em>
</p><p>As a matter of fact, if Naruto Uzumaki gave a sincere speech no one would like it.</p><p>"<em>Sasuke Uchiha committed crimes for which he was sentenced to death. All of you were alright with it. In fact you couldn't care less about his fate. Only I went against it, even begging the Raikage to spare him. Only I devoted my life to chasing him until I saved him".</em></p><p>
  <em>This would have been a sincere speech.</em>
</p><p>No one really liked Sasuke, neither villagers nor fellow shinobi.</p><p>No one really accepted him, neither when he left nor when he returned.</p><p>They praised him, Uzumaki Naruto, for his successful personal mission to bring his friend and rival back, but they were not happy, as they saw the Uchiha as a traitor who couldn't be trusted.</p><p>Even if he became the Hokage's shadow.</p><p>Even if he became so loyal to the village that he sacrificed his life for it.</p>
<hr/><p>Those who saw them together called him the Seventh's bitch.</p><p>Sasuke hadn't complained, he had been called so many names by so many people; it was Naruto who introduced the topic, telling him to not pay attention to those words, even if he was the one who brought the subject back more times, as he liked that definition.</p><p>He liked that everyone knew whom Sasuke belonged to.</p><p>He liked that everyone was judging and taking further distance from the Uchiha.</p><p>This way Sasuke would only rely on him.</p><p>This way Sasuke would only be his.</p><p>Even though Sasuke was already his- that's what he used to tell the Uchiha, that's what he used to make him repeat every time.</p><p>He thought that Sasuke was his, but he was wrong: even when Sasuke stopped searching for Kaguya's traces in other dimensions and started training his son, even when Sasuke was in his office <em>-in his bed, beneath him, kneeling in front of him, taking all he would give him-</em> every time he wanted, he was always distant, so much that Naruto was too often reminded of the times they weren't together, when the Uchiha was pursuing his wrong goals and rejecting him.</p><p>
  <em>Even if, since he had lost to him, Sasuke had never rejected him.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>The rain is slowly tapering off, keeping the gloomy atmosphere even more, slowing down the rhythm of the Hokage's speech.</p><p>Sitting right in front of him there is Sakura, beautifully dressed, and her crying daughter.</p><p>They didn't want to speak at his funeral and Naruto didn't push them -he already pushed too much when he had accepted that <em>his one and only</em> would start a family with their former teammate, as part of his atonement for his crimes.</p><p>Back then, after his initial refusal, he had decided to not think too much about it, just like he hadn't thought too much about marrying Hinata.</p><p>Back then he had been instructed by his predecessor that if he wanted to become Hokage he had to act honorably marrying the one who had always loved him from afar.</p><p>Later, the same predecessor had scolded him, who was already Hokage, claiming that his <em>obsession</em> for distracted him from his duties, that Konoha should have been his first thought, not Sasuke, thus Sasuke had to get married as well.</p><p>He had been furious about it -much more than for his own marriage, for Sasuke was only his- then he had accepted it for the sake of the village, well knowing that marrying someone they never cared about would never affect what they had.</p><p>"<em>And you Sakura, you are the worst: you tried to kill him yourself before someone else did, and now your lack of tears isn't proof that you're strong, only that you never loved him, you useless bitch".</em></p><p>
  <em>He was young and stupid when he thought he was in love with Sakura. It took time to realize that it wasn't love. Now he knew that he couldn't stand her.</em>
</p><p>Where is Kakashi, by the way? Naruto distractedly asks himself, looking for his former sensei -and former counsellor, until he had made him retire, precisely because of Sasuke's marriage- among the crowd and getting irritated seeing so many people attending Sasuke's funeral when they never liked him.</p><p>
  <em>It's almost as if they want to make sure that he will stay dead and buried.</em>
</p><p>When he finds him he stares at him enough to make him uncomfortable, well knowing that the other knows what he's thinking. Then he looks at other random people: Shikamaru, Shino, Kiba and his wife. He doesn't care about them, he just doesn't want to look at the other side, towards his family.</p><p>He can't even look at his son.</p><p>"He died like a hero".</p><p>He says emphatically to finish the speech expected of a leader.</p>
<hr/><p>Sasuke died like a hero indeed.</p><p>He used Susano'o to shield civilians and the young shinobi protecting them, all the while fighting the meteor-like attacks launched at him.</p><p>The enemy seemed to have infinite stamina, unlike him, but he had the situation under control, until Boruto took initiative, being targeted immediately.</p><p>Not even Susano'o, not even Rinnegan could give Sasuke the ability to fight, shield people and save his student; he shifted his own chakra armor to save the boy, remaining defenceless against the fatal blow.</p><p>Naruto was fighting somewhere nearby. When he sensed the alteration in <em>his friend</em>'s chakra he rushed to him but it was too late.</p><p>There was blood everywhere and yet he didn't understand at first; he thought that Sasuke was just injured albeit really badly, but his wound was so deep that not even Kyuubi's chakra healed him.</p><p>It's too late, the fox whispered from inside him but Naruto didn't want to listen.</p><p>He held Sasuke's head tenderly as the other exhaled his last breath.</p><p>From bloodied lips his last words were almost inaudible.</p><p>"Don't die...You are the only one who can keep the world in peace".</p><p>"We'll protect it together," Naruto said. Sasuke just looked at him impassively, before closing his eyes forever.</p><p>In the past he would have smiled bitterly, thus irritating the Hokage, who would have attacked him with words that would have escalated in actions, which would have ended with his shadow beaten and bruised and bloodied in his office.</p><p>In the present Naruto can't even imagine the world without Sasuke. Or his life. Or himself.</p><p>He didn't even realize what had happened, as the anger he was feeling was so overwhelming that when he got back to his senses he was in a pool of blood and limbs, and enemies were no more.</p>
<hr/><p>Sasuke's last words haunt him.</p><p>"Don't die".</p><p>Albeit his voice was almost inaudible he hadn't stuttered or hesitated in any way.</p><p>"You are the only one who can keep the world in peace".</p><p>A reminder that should Naruto die the shinobi countries would fall back into chaos again.</p><p>His last words expressed no personal feelings.</p><p>As if he was reporting his last mission.</p><p>But also, almost, as if he was giving him an order, which was weird because the Uchiha had been obeying to him<em> -bending to every whim and need, metaphorically and literally alike- </em>since he had been brought back and saved from the darkness.</p><p>No wishes or regrets and no mention of their bond, even though it was the only one he had.</p><p>
  <em>Even though Naruto was his one and only.</em>
</p><p>Sasuke's last look haunts him.</p><p>It was empty. It was not different from the look he had in the latest years, since he had become a tool, for the village but mostly for the Hokage, with no longer a personal will except for protecting the village and obeying the only one he addressed with honorifics, except serving the one who had saved him from the darkness, the one whose every hit, every word, every abuse was justified, as he deserved them all.</p><p>
  <em>His look was empty because Sasuke seemed dead even before dying, that's why Naruto tried so hard to bring him back to the world, to reality, to him, no matter what it took.</em>
</p><p>Naruto wonders about Sasuke's last thought in the brief moment between his last words and his last breath.</p><p>Did he think about him?</p><p>Or did he think about Itachi?</p><p>Wasn't peace what Itachi wanted?</p>
<hr/><p>Naruto is angry at Sasuke who faced death blankly, impassively, without a thought for him, as if, as tired as he was, he was finally going to sleep.</p><p>As if he was tired of him.</p><p>It's a horrible idea, especially because since he ordered his shadow to stop following Kaguya's traces over dimensions and to start training his son, Naruto was happier than ever.</p><p>Sort of. Because Sasuke was there but at the same time he wasn't there, and he had to bring him back, but more and more often no matter what he did <em>and how painfully</em>, he wasn't there anyway.</p>
<hr/><p>Naruto is really angry at Sasuke who didn't tell him that he was sick of the same illness Itachi had. That he was dying slowly, like his brother. That every time he <em>did things </em>to him he brought him closer to the end.</p><p>
  <em>Maybe he wanted to be killed by him, like his brother had wanted to be killed by Sasuke.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It meant that for him Naruto was the most important person.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Or the one who had the right to punish him for his crimes, over and over.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Maybe it meant both.</em>
</p><p>It was Sakura who told him.</p><p>She had no idea until she examined his corpse, an unrequited procedure that she did as her only chance to learn something about the husband she had never known. She could have kept it for herself because he wouldn't have come back to life anyway, but she rushed to inform Naruto, with the pretext that she couldn't keep secrets from the Hokage.</p><p>It was her revenge, for she was grateful when he had pushed him towards her, but she had soon realized that it meant nothing, that Sasuke belonged to him.</p><p>Naruto received the news with leader-like composure, but as soon as she left he punched the wall so hard that everyone in the building noticed.</p><p>How could Sasuke not tell him?</p><p>How could someone so obedient, so deeply <em>his</em>, be so far away from him?</p>
<hr/><p>Naruto is absolutely angry at Sasuke.</p><p>He feels disappointed finding out that it wasn't just him <em>doing things</em> <em>-possessing, hurting, making him bleed-</em> to Sasuke's body, as an illness was slowly, subtly, doing things to him as well.</p><p>He feels betrayed realizing that because of said illness his <em>best friend </em>had probably been thinking all the time about his brother, instead of him.</p><p>In the last months Sasuke looked sickly, thinner and even paler than usual.</p><p>Naruto didn't realize back then, as he was more interested by the marks he left on him.</p><p>In fact he assumed that his worn out appearance was a result of what he did to him, his biggest turn-on being having complete control over his body. And mind. And soul.</p><p>When Sasuke coughed blood he assumed it was because of him; when it happened outside their <em>activities</em>, he still assumed it was an aftermath of <em>him</em>, who never held back.</p><p>
  <em>He loved to see his strength's effect on Sasuke.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He loved to see it even when they weren't alone, when the other looked in pain and Shikamaru or Sakura or whomever else noticed, even if they pretended not to, as they didn't care enough about Sasuke to say something.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Most of it all, they didn't dare go against the Hokage: everyone knew how jealous he was of anyone who came too close to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He didn't bother hiding it, because it was only natural: he had saved Sasuke from the darkness, thus Sasuke belonged to him.</em>
</p><p>Since he permanently returned to the village Sasuke was more absent, almost mechanical.</p><p>
  <em>Like a doll, fittingly with the way Naruto handled him.</em>
</p><p>Every time Naruto summoned him he did whatever he was asked, even anticipating the Hokage's whims.</p><p>
  <em>His eyes, once burning with determination, anger and passion, looked empty as if his soul had already left his body.</em>
</p><p>He became contemplative.</p><p>On more than one occasion Naruto found him looking at the sky, at the clouds, at plants, as if he had never seen them.</p><p>Sometimes he would say things that Naruto didn't understand.</p><p>Like when he asked him if he ever wondered if they had really defeated Kaguya or if their reality was the tsukuyomi she had planned, and when the other looked at him as if he were drunk, he simply continued ranting about how subjective reality was, how life might have been a lie that everyone kept repeating to themselves.</p><p>
  <em>He stopped talking then, because if he were in a tsukuyomi his life would be different; he would have his family back, he would have never fought and killed his brother not understanding his actions, he would have never fallen into the darkness from where his best friend had to save him. But it didn't matter, for his thoughts, like his ideals and goals, were wrong and pointless. He just had to shut up and obey until the end.</em>
</p><p>Naruto broke his sudden silence, commenting that he was just tired, since his son was hard to deal with, and as if he snapped out of a daydream -as he got back to reality, where he needed to atone for his crimes and serve the one who had saved him- Sasuke smiled faintly, replying that he was certainly tired, being the Hokage.</p><p>Then he kneeled down to pleasure him.</p><p>Other times he wasn't so soft. He would ask Naruto about unresolved village issues, reminding the other to act in a certain direction.</p><p>It was a reckless move, as the Seventh hated to be told what to do and he knew it -the other making sure he'd knew, with his teeth and hands- but he didn't care.</p><p>
  <em>He needed to make sure that the Hokage did his work properly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Even when he would be gone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He needed to make sure that the Hokage would keep the peace his brother had wanted so much.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Only Naruto could have understood what was going on with Sasuke: Sakura stopped pretending to care long ago, his son was too inexperienced and it was too much of a drag for Shikamaru. Kakashi would have noticed, but he was keeping himself carefully out of their way.</p><p>He knew well how hostile the Seventh was towards him, who had wanted Sasuke to get married, who had ordered him, the Hokage, to let Sasuke get married, who probably did <em>things </em>to the Uchiha while he was imprisoned.</p><p>
  <em>Back then Kakashi forbade him from visiting his friend in jail, explaining that it would mar his reputation, which had to be perfect to become Hokage.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Later Naruto asked Sasuke about his time in jail. Many times.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Not getting any real answer he would get angry and jealous and he would let it out on him. Many times.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then he understood that the Uchiha wasn't keeping secrets from him, that his memories were really confused, to say the least, and since his eyes were sealed he had no way to know better.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was clearly uncomfortable thinking about that time. He was ashamed of the dishonor he had brought upon the friend who had saved him, and upon his beloved brother who had entrusted him to said friend, but there was something more, something different and hard to pinpoint, a subtle fear that darkened his look every time that subject was mentioned.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Seventh wasn't stupid. He had learned to know himself and his deepest darkest drives, he could recognize them in other people and he spotted them in Kakashi's eyes when they lingered on Sasuke, after he returned from his journey of atonement, when he still tried hard to keep distance between them, without succeeding anymore.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Naruto understood but he had no proof and he couldn't act on someone who was so well loved in the village, but, thanks to what his former sensei and predecessor's teachings, he made sure to not have him around what -who- belonged to him.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Only Naruto could have understood what was going on with Sasuke, but he failed.</p><p>The thought causing another bout of rage he destroys the mirror next to the sofa. When he decides to pick the pieces of glass shattered everywhere, hours later, he doesn't even feel the cuts. They heal almost instantly, anyway.</p><p>It's a weird thing, that mirror. His wife brought it in his office, since he dressed himself there more often than in the house they shared, and it was unbecoming for a Hokage to look scruffy.</p><p>
  <em>Hinata stopped worrying about her husband long before; she was a simple creature, content with her children and her quiet life. She expressed her gratitude with little gestures like this because she did care about her husband, despite knowing that he only had Sasuke in his mind, heart, soul, and every cell of his body.</em>
</p><p>Jiraiya had once told him that some couples liked have sex in front of the mirror, and that he too liked it.</p><p>For him instead, there was no need to use one when he could use kage bunshin and become many, to admire Sasuke from all sides and use him in any possible way at the same time.</p><p>He changed his mind once he found Sasuke looking at his reflection.</p><p>
  <em>Sasuke found the Hokage's office empty upon arriving.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was taken aback by the new object: he hadn't seen himself in so long he couldn't even remember the last time it had happened.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He would have been taken aback by his image, an adult man with dark circles under his eyes, sunken cheeks, pale as death and sickly thin.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He would have been taken aback when, taking off his cape and unbuttoning his shirt, he saw finger marks on his throat, scratches on his chest and bruises everywhere.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He would have been taken aback if only he had cared about himself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Instead he wondered what Itachi would say if he saw him all battered and bruised like this; he wondered if his brother would blame him for not being strong enough, or if he would ignore the sight. After all he had entrusted him to Naruto, so whatever Naruto was doing, it was both's will.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He wondered if, by looking at him coughing up blood, he would recognize his same illness.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He wondered if he would wait for him on the other side.</em>
</p><p>When Naruto arrived he suddenly understood Jiraiya. The sight of Sasuke, disheveled in front of the mirror, looking at his reflection, lost in his thoughts, was intimate and decadent, innocent and enticing at the same time.</p><p>In a moment he was on the Uchiha, pushing him closer to the mirror, not against it so to keep looking at the black hair being pulled by him, to reveal the pale neck before he bit it, drawing red blood; then he moved the object so that he could keep looking while he threw the other on the sofa then he shoved his cock inside his mouth, completely unaware of the other's previous thoughts, of the reason he was looking at his reflection, of his cough and the blood already on the corner of his lips.</p>
<hr/><p>Naruto is unforgivably angry at Sasuke.</p><p>He can't accept that he left him again, that he left him forever.</p><p>He can't even think about moving on with his life, this weird concept that his wife, timidly, brought up, and that Shikamaru repeated.</p><p>As if he could live without his <em>best friend</em>.</p><p>He is Naruto Uzumaki, the Seventh Hokage, Kyuubi's vessel. He saved the world three times, from Nagato, from Kaguya and now from her minions. He saved Sasuke from the darkness, bringing him back to the village.</p><p>There has to be something he can do to bring himback again.</p><p>Whenever someone saves another's life, that life belongs to them forever: he saved Sasuke, thus Sasuke belongs to him.</p><p>Not to death. To him only.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As in OFAF, adult Hokage Naruto is not crazy power-drunk, not in a flashy way but in a constant way, he's basking in his power because it's what he always wanted, and everyone knows, he's not the friendly loser anymore, he's their leader, he's above them and he behaves as such. Actually he didn't act like 'one of them' since he saved them from Nagato, but ok.</p><p>The mirror scene is inspired by a fanart by one of my favourite NS artists, Shinemoe, where Sasuke looked totally battered and had a worn out resigned smile. Great inspiration.</p><p>Sasuke's illness was inspired by a cool fanart too. I foreshadowed it in OFAF ch.4.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. No Love Lost</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am happy to be able to finally write this. I had bits and pieces of this fic in my drafts since I was writing OFAF. Then I lost motivation with writing Naruto fics for a while, especially Narusasu fics since my idea of them is unpopular but here I am again.</p><p>Let me remind you for the umpteenth time that this is a darkfic that describes Naruto and the Narusasu relationship in a dark way. I find Naruto's dark side very interesting and very canon, since he showed to be possessive of Sasuke on many occasions, with Orochimaru and with Sasuke himself. But some readers think that I'm wrong 'insulting' their selfless ball of sunshine and his relationship with Sasuke...I'm not, if I didn't find Naruto and NS interesting I wouldn't write about them.</p><p>And to those who might want to leave entitled reviews because they know better and I don't, which happened a lot on OFAF: b*tch fanfics are headcanons based on subjective perception. If you think that mine is wrong move on, like I do skipping your fic and your headcanons lol.</p><p>So if you can't handle dark fics and NS/Naruto written in a dark way don't read this and if you do (which would be your mistake) don't even think about complaining to me.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>"<em>We loved and raped and maimed each other</em><br/><em>There's a love burning in my veins that never goes out" </em><br/><em>(translation from Baustelle, Gli Spietati- The Merciless Ones)</em></p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>"You didn't notice? How unusual from the all perceptive Hokage to not see how different is the blood that comes from the lungs from the blood from...hum...<em>other activities...</em>"</p><p>Orochimaru said with a falsely polite tone.</p><hr/><p>Naruto would visit Sasuke's grave every day.</p><p>
  <em>He was seen talking to it, drinking by it, even crying and punching the stone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Those who did pretended to not have seen anything.</em>
</p><p>One week after the funeral, when the sun was about to set, he saw Orochimaru there, arranging a bouquet of flowers.</p><p>The sannin knew about his former pupil's illness; he had tried to convince him to inform the Hokage and <em>his wife</em>, he explained, not hiding an eloquent look of disbelief upon mentioning the latter, and he had tried to convince him to get treatment. Sasuke had refused though: his brother hadn't been treated, so why would he?</p><p>Just like his brother he had accepted palliative care; he would occasionally drop by for a chakra infusion, he would listen to the news from his former teammates and he would leave soon not wanting to make the Seventh wait, he sometimes added, with sad eyes.</p><p>It was hard to control himself hearing that the only ones who knew the truth about Sasuke's state were his former mentor and makeshift teammates, criminals according to Konoha's law, individuals he wasn't even supposed to meet.</p><p>It was even harder to control himself hearing from one of those individuals, that Sasuke had kept secrets from him.</p><p>
  <em>Of course he did, knowing that he wouldn't have accepted his decision and that he was incredibly jealous of his past with Orochimaru, with his friendship with Suigetsu, Juugo and Karin -and everyone he had ever interacted with, actually.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He knew how Naruto would have reacted and he didn't want to upset or disrespect him, the snake said vaguely, in a tone that was between mockery towards the Kage, and respect towards the departed one.</em>
</p><hr/><p>"Do you feel guilty? For having killed him".</p><p>For someone who pursued immortality Orochimaru was too reckless.</p><p>"Sasuke was killed by the enemy who attacked Konoha."</p><p>Naruto replied quickly.</p><p>"Oh, that is just a technical detail, Seventh..."</p><p>What he was implying was obvious: every time he <em>did things</em> to Sasuke he dragged him closer to his end.</p><p>
  <em>Had he known, would he have stopped?</em>
</p><p>"It's not! I am not responsible for his death!"</p><p>
  <em>He was not but his son was, that's what he was thinking, for Sasuke died to protect his boy, that he couldn't even look at now.</em>
</p><p>The sannin didn't budge even when Kyuubi's chakra flared. He knew how to defend himself, and he also knew that they wouldn't get to that point.</p><p>"It wasn't my intention to upset you...it was his destiny, like it was for Itachi's destiny to be killed by Sasuke".</p><p>
  <em>Sasuke felt guilty because even if Itachi was dying already, their fight had been the immediate cause of his death. He was the one who had killed his brother, not the illness, he had told Naruto when, years before, they had lived together in the Uzumaki's apartment.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The blond had tried to convince him otherwise, because he didn't want his friend to live with such guilt, because he didn't want him to feel so connected to someone who was dead, because he didn't want him to feel so connected to someone who wasn't him.</em>
</p><p>"I'm sure that Sasuke wanted to be killed by his most important person <em>alive</em>..."</p><p>Orochimaru had just succeeded in flattering Naruto and at the same time remarking that Itachi was more important.</p><p>"When he was with me, he never talked about you, or himself, or anyone else...only about Itachi. But I could tell he missed you".</p><p>He was a master in manipulation: no wonder he had manipulated Sasuke into following him, accepting whatever his <em>conditions </em>were in exchange for strength.</p><p>"Thinking about it, for his own team he chose someone boisterous like you were back then, someone from the Uzumaki clan and someone with a demon inside...it surely meant something…"</p><p>He indeed was a master in manipulation: such cheap flattery without any proof wouldn't work on his former pupil, but the snake could easily find the weaknesses of both him and Naruto who, despite having grown up and having obtained admiration and recognition from those around him, was still susceptible to sweet-talk.</p><hr/><p>The diplomatic relationship with Orochimaru is relaxed; even Yamato was ordered to stop surveilling his no longer hidden compound, located outside Konoha but still in its territory.</p><p>Nevertheless it's forbidden to visit it, for both civilians and shinobi, and even with a special permit it's highly frowned upon to do so.</p><p>Naruto is above the rules but he sends a clone anyway, so as not to be noticed and raise questions, since reports about the scientist's son are regularly sent to him and, officially, the village doesn't need special information or anything else there.</p><p>"You want him back, don't you?"</p><p>The sannin asks, not fooled by the casual way the blond is looking at the many scrolls in his huge library.</p><p>"That's why since Sasuke died you're desperate but not lost...You have a purpose".</p><p>Naruto nods, relieved that he didn't have to say the words.</p><p>"I am honored to collaborate with the Seventh on such a delicate task," he says with a slight bow and a smirk, "But Edo Tensei requires a sacrificed body, and as the Seventh knows well I can keep my freedom only under specific restrictions, one of them being the ban on testing on human subjects, unfortunately…"</p><p>The Hokage smirks back, confident and threatening.</p><p>"I know well the laws I lay down, Orochimaru...just like I know well that you are not respecting them. So give me what I need and I'll keep pretending I don't notice whatever you do".</p><p>Orochimaru chuckles.</p><p>"Well then...let's get to work".</p><hr/><p>Edo Tensei is a complete failure.</p><p>With such technique the soul of a deceased person is called back to the world of the living and bound to it, using a living person as a vessel. The summoned almost doesn't experience hunger, fatigue, pain and any other sensations. The caster can exert the strictest control over the summoned one, suppressing their personality thus rendering them mere puppets, or a loose one, letting them retain their original personality, with everything that comes with it.</p><p>Like Sasuke.</p><p>Immediately after being explained why he was brought back, he refuses to interact in any way, not even reacting when Naruto <em>does things </em>to him.</p><p>He doesn't feel anything at all; it's nothing like when he was alive, when pain twisted his face and blood and bruises adorned him all over.</p><p>"You're not taking pleasure from this. Release me and live your life".</p><p>He tells Naruto, speaking after who knows how long, after he's done with him once.</p><p>In the past, when Sasuke was alive, hearing such humiliating rejection would have burned in his mind so strongly that he would have tortured and beaten the other into submission, but now it wouldn't work. Nothing would.</p><p>
  <em>He's dead and so he wants to stay.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And if he's still torn by guilt and shame he doesn't say it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And if he's longing to be with his brother again in the other world he doesn't say it and the only one who's torn, not knowing what the other has in mind, and who's longing to have him for real, is Naruto.</em>
</p><p>He doesn't have Sasuke back: all he has is a puppet who doesn't have any attachment to him or the village or his family.</p><p>This is not Sasuke. This is not his Sasuke, he tells Orochimaru as they release him.</p><p>That night he -not a clone- wanders in the woods, crying loud and cursing and destroying trees and rocks.</p><p>When he gets back to his house, dirty and furious, his wife doesn't dare ask what happened, and his sons disappears from his sight.</p><hr/><p>After several weeks of hard work and inner emptiness he goes back to Orochimaru.</p><p>Once again he can't explain his need, so it's the other who speaks first.</p><p>"What if the red string of fate that connected the two of you was severed when Sasuke's life ended?"</p><p>He muses, with the typical curiosity of a researcher.</p><p>"That wasn't Sasuke".</p><p>He is met with a deathly glare.</p><p>Edo Tensei was the wrong choice, because even if the jutsu bound Sasuke to the world of the living, his soul was no longer chained to it.</p><p>And to him. Thus it wasn't Sasuke anymore.</p><p>"The real Sasuke has a special bond with me. If there is none there is no Sasuke".</p><p>Naruto needs Sasuke alive, not revived.</p><p>He needs to save Sasuke, not to control him.</p><p>When a man saves someone's life, their life belongs to him forever.</p><p>Naruto saved Sasuke from the darkness, thus Sasuke belonged to him forever.</p><p>Sasuke belongs to him forever. That's what he wants.</p><p>He had everything he wanted: <em>his friend</em> in the village, with him.</p><p>He could have had even more: <em>his friend</em> would have belonged only to him if he hadn't listened to Kakashi's stupid advice about him forming a family, and he would have been still with him if he had noticed his illness and healed him. He made mistakes.</p><p>Sasuke made mistakes too, keeping his illness and his visits to his former team secret from him, but he would forgive his friend because their bond was special.</p><p>Their bond <em>is</em> special.</p><p>What they had <em>-what he took from Sasuke, what he forced him to do-</em> was and is more than anyone ever had. That's what he wants back.</p><p>That's what he wants again.</p><p>It's the first time he speaks so much since Sasuke died; his eyes are spirited, his voice is broken and loud, his gestures are frantic as he tries to express himself.</p><p>Orochimaru observes him attentively, intrigued by his resolve.</p><p>He would have been a fine specimen, but even like this he'll be a good subject to study. <em>Together with the new project they'll carry on together.</em></p><p>"I might have something for you then".</p><p>He offers.</p><p>He always wanted to experiment with <em>that</em>.</p><hr/><p>The Second Hokage's intellect was not praised enough, the snake says. He wasn't only the strongest shinobi after his brother and Madara, he also was a scientist who studied the abilities of different clans, and a genius who invented some of the most difficult and important jutsu.</p><p>And some of the most controversial.</p><p>He would have ruled the world if he had used those, instead he labeled them as forbidden. Not that everyone would be able to perform them, as they need an enormous amount of chakra, like Edo Tensei or like Tajū Kage Bunshin, that only a few ones can use and that only Naruto can keep stable for a long period thanks to Kyuubi's chakra.</p><p>"Tobirama having been Hiruzen's sensei and Hiruzen having been mine I heard many things about him and the more I heard the more curious I became. How come someone so loyal to the village and so strict with rules had created such dangerous techniques? How come such a fine strategist had wasted time researching something that he would later label as kinjutsu?"</p><p>In the past Naruto would have told him to stop ranting and start doing something useful; now he listens, his years long diplomatic experience knowing that scientists are used to such long premises.</p><p>"I think it was because of Uchiha Izuna".</p><p>Hearing Sasuke's family name he becomes more attentive.</p><p>"Tobirama fatally wounded Izuna, who in his dying bed gave his eyes, and with them their power, to his brother Madara, who, despite his alliance with Hashirama and their foundation of Konoha, became bitter, unpredictable, more and more erratic, until he had to be defeated by his very friend."</p><p>A noise from another room reminded the blond that there were other people in the compound. Those very ones who, not wanting them to see Sasuke anymore, he had declared unwanted in the village.</p><p>
  <em>They never interrupted him and their master. They were well trained, like Sasuke with him.</em>
</p><p>"Tobirama studied the Uchiha clan, their abilities and their behavior; I think that he assumed that if Madara hadn't lost his brother, he wouldn't have fallen in what he himself defined 'curse of hatred'. He would have been more like Hashirama...or rather, he would have been more like the persona Hashirama wore in public".</p><p>Orochimaru makes a weird expression.</p><p>"Ashura and Indra, Hashirama and Madara, you and Sasuke, yang and yin...history repeats itself", he says, pulling a little book from the shelf and showing the content to Naruto.</p><p>It's hard to understand its chaotic writing; on the contrary, it's easy to understand the writer's torment.</p><p>'My life has no meaning without him. I do not care about anything and anyone else. Yet I have to keep on living for the village we founded together'.</p><p>The last sentence is written in a clearer way, as if Hashirama had straightened his resolve after a long time.</p><p>"I think that Tobirama wanted to bring Izuna back so that Madara wouldn't become an enemy...so that his brother wouldn't lose his...friend".</p><p>
  <em>Orochimaru read the whole thing despite its bad handwriting. He knew that when he had lost Madara, the God of Shinobi had ended up hating everyone around him. He had killed him because he had become an enemy, but he had suffered immensely doing so.</em>
</p><p>"Edo Tensei is a useful technique for war and not much else, you're right..."</p><p>"So what?"</p><p>Naruto asks, impatience starting to bite at him.</p><p>
  <em>After all, he never cared about theoretical things. Sasuke did.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He had helped him study to become Hokage, even.</em>
</p><p>Orochimaru does a hand seal to open a secret cubicle in that very room, gesturing the blond to wait; he doesn't mean to be rude with such an important guest, but that space is designed only for his specific chakra.</p><p>He returns quickly with a box that he opens with another seal, then he hands him the scroll that is inside.</p><p>This time he recognizes the clear handwriting, the same of the kage bunshin scroll he stole and learned as a child.</p><p>"No matter how brilliant they might be, humans' actions always follow the same patterns. And since bringing back the dead never works, the next step is reaching that person when they were alive".</p><p>The sannin gets closer, to point at a certain paragraph.</p><p>"In the past".</p><hr/><p>Travelling in time is a very complicated matter: in comparison, Edo Tensei and Kage Bunshin are genin-level jutsu, it requires bijuu quantity of chakra and complete control of it.</p><p>When asked if he tried it already, Orochimaru says that he didn't. As explained in the scroll, the jutsu only works backwards, and like every scientist he's more interested in the future than in what already happened.</p><p>Besides, he didn't have the means to try it: it would have been too risky for Juugo, who has almost the right amount of chakra but not the required control.</p><p>"But it's not too risky for me...or maybe you're not as worried about me as you are for your subordinates...How considerate of you to be protective of those you imprisoned and experimented on..."</p><p>Naruto comments snarkily.</p><p>"Fair enough, but that was a long time ago. We all learn from our mistakes, don't we? And we try to make up for them, however difficult it might be..."</p><hr/><p>"According to the Second Hokage's study, changing the past doesn't change the present".</p><p>Orochimaru explains.</p><p>"It changes other versions of the present, so, whatever you will do to Sasuke in the past, it will affect that Sasuke and his present, his future, and who knows, Konoha's and the shinobi's world's future, but neither our present nor our future".</p><p>Tobirama clearly knew well what he was writing about; his style was scientific and realistic at the same time. He wrote like someone who experienced what he was describing. Unfortunately there were no mentions of his personal experience. Orochimaru sighed commenting.</p><p>"Why does no one know about this jutsu?"</p><p>Naruto asked.</p><p>While Kakashi was Hokage, he had required an archive of jutsu, where every technique, from simple to complex to forbidden ones, were catalogued.</p><p>Even Orochimaru was required to participate, albeit indirectly, sending them records of obscure techniques forgotten by the newer generations.</p><p>"I had it in my possession for much longer…"</p><p>He didn't need to mention it, but they both understood what he was referring to. He took that scroll when he attacked Konoha using Edo Tensei Hashirama and Tobirama. When he killed his mentor, the Third Hokage.</p><p>"It took me time to understand how to open it...how embarrassing, considering that I had the key right there with me back then and yet I realized it only years later..."</p><p>Edo Tensei Tobirama was the key.</p><p>The scroll was supposed to be accessible only to him, so, using his revived form, it would have been easy to open it, but the snake only had a hunch about it when he brought him back for Sasuke, during the war, and following that inspiration he took a sample of the Second's chakra print.</p><p>"It's still weird that it's not mentioned anywhere," Naruto comments.</p><p>As future Hokage Naruto had been appointed as the Sixth's assistant thus he supervised while shinobi history experts looked for mentions of every jutsu in ancient books, cross referencing all of them to obtain the most exhaustive description of each.</p><p>
  <em>Sasuke was there too, sometimes. He was the Hokage's Anbu back then, and when he returned from escorting his leader he would be graciously left with the blond.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As if that little time together was enough for him.</em>
</p><p>During that boring experience he learned that old books, being meant for the future generations -the Will of Fire, as they were defined once- described everything, even insignificant details.</p><p>"You are no longer the loud ignorant child I saw back then, aren't you?"</p><p>Orochimaru chuckles.</p><p>"You are right. It's not mentioned anywhere..."</p><p>He places the scroll in the blond's hands, brushing it with his long fingers.</p><p>"Don't you notice something different in it?"</p><p>Naruto examines it closely. The handwriting is the same he remembers, but the material is different. It's not paper, it's silk.</p><p>"No one uses silk scrolls in Konoha. Or in the Land of Fire. Or in the Shinobi countries. Or in others..."</p><p>Orochimaru remarks.</p><p>"...Or in our reality..."</p><hr/><p>"Before we proceed it would be better to read the entire scroll, as it describes the process in detail, as well as it raises quite interesting ethical questions…"</p><p>The sannin tells Naruto the following time he visits, the scroll in his hands once again. Noticing that the other has no intention to do so, he continues.</p><p>"...which would be, in short: is it right to go back to the past and change things, no matter how right we think we are? Will this choice provoke later remorse and regret?"</p><p>"I'm not your pupil and you're not interested in ethics, cut this crap!"</p><p>Naruto interrupts. "My, my...your impatience is...rejuvenating, I'd say. Like you eloquently delivered, I'm not interested in ethics. And I don't care about your moral issues...i just want to make sure you won't have second thoughts halfway through. I hate to interrupt my experiments."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N:</p><p>I hope you liked the chapter.</p><p>I write some parts in a kind of laconic style. It's on purpose, like, the Edo Tensei Sasuke is meant to not be detailed, even though it would be interesting to explore it in another context. Not here since the story is about something else.</p><p>Orochimaru calls Naruto 'SEventh', I could have written 'seventh-sama' translating from 'nanadaime sama' but it would have sounded redundant and noobish like all those fics where there are random japanese terms to show the author knows them lol. HEre the 'sama' would be ironic from Orochimaru's part. That's another reason why he chuckles a lot in this fic. He's amused by Naruto's behavior and thoughts, he finds him interesting and he acts in a sarcastically respectful way towards him, but he's not submissive.</p><p>NAruto is an adult, a Hokage, a diplomat. He's no longer as impatient and lacking attention as he used to be.</p><p>As always, for databook and ninja info cards experts of jutsu and whatnot: I'm not, I don't mean to be and my technique details are what I remember and what I need for the plot.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Boat over Troubled Waters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As usual before you go on reading I'll remind you that this is a DARK NARUSASU fic, so the narusasu bond is not portrayed in a healthy and/or positive way. Same for Naruto. I am interested in his dark possessive side and this is how I write him so if you disagree it's better to follow the old don't like don't read.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>"<em>We are one<br/>
</em><em>We are free<br/>
</em><em>We are headed for obscurity</em><em>" (Offspring, We Are One)</em></p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>Another one among the terms of Orochimaru's post war probation was that all his hideouts should have been cleared and turned into Konoha's property; just like the others, he respected it only in appearance, so they have a secluded place for <em>the experiment</em>.</p><p>Before they act they study the scroll so well that they know it by heart, so once they start the procedure it's not even difficult.</p><p>The sannin will do the seals and will stay behind to keep track of Naruto's chakra flux, and, should he find the kind of relevant anomalies mentioned in the instructions, he will bring him back. Kuuubi's chakra will act like a sort of fuel to travel through time. Naruto will have to be in sage mode the whole time; this will connect him with the elements, allowing him to access a different timeline.</p><p>According to Tobirama's notes it was impossible to count the time backwards and choose a specific date, but, with practice, it was not impossible to find a link between sage mode chakra and time, and to use it to one's own advantage for better accuracy.</p><p>"You might not want to not go too far in the past...you surely don't want to pick Sasuke when he's still a child, don't you?" Orochimaru chuckles, adding, "And it would also be better to not pick Sasuke when he was my protégé...who knows, the 'me' from that timeline might follow you here to learn a few tricks…"</p><p>Naruto scoffs, but he agrees. Even if he wants to save Sasuke, even if he would have liked to take him away from the snake's fangs so much when he was younger, he now recognizes that it might be safer to follow his suggestion.</p><p>"Whatever happened...whatever you will do to Sasuke, it will stay in that timeline. It won't affect ours".</p><p>The scientists reassures him before moving his hands to form the required seals.</p><p>
  <em>As if Naruto needs reassurance to go and take what's rightfully his.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He saved Sasuke's life so his life belongs to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And if Sasuke is dead in their reality, he'll take him from another and he'll save him again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After all he was always a prey -to Orochimaru, to his brother, to Obito, to his fake team, to Kakashi.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He always needs to be saved. No matter where he is, no matter when he is.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He always needs him.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>It's a weird sensation, to be cocooned in Kyuubi's chakra and yet to be blending with the natural energy of the world. It's like wearing a lifebuoy and being half-asleep on a boat navigating strong currents; others might be scared to drown or get injured while jumping to the land, but he has protection so he's calm, so much that he fantasizes of going back to the times before Sasuke got married, to not let Kakashi even speak that damn day, to keep his friend for himself only, treat his eye before it gets worse, keep him in his newly married house even. His fantasy distracts him from sage mode, which becomes unstable, meaning that he has to get off the boat.</p><p>It doesn't matter that he didn't get as far as he imagined: when he sees Sasuke, his pale features, his long black bangs covering his eye, his familiar slender figure, he feels like his heart is exploding in his chest.</p><p>The Uchiha is training his son in the woods. He startles both when he appears.</p><p>He sends the boy home and quickly takes Sasuke, and then he takes him again, with an urgency that surprises the other, even though he's clearly used to this.</p><p>
  <em>In this timeline Sasuke is exactly like his Sasuke, he notices with pleasure.</em>
</p><p>Until he sees him coughing.</p><p>
  <em>In this timeline Sasuke is exactly like his Sasuke, he notices with displeasure.</em>
</p><p>He tells him that he knows about his illness, he commands him to get treatment, he tries to force him to, but Sasuke replies that it's too late and even apologizes for not having informed him, adding, as a further apology, the pleasure of being sucked off like he did so many times.</p><p>Naruto sends him off when they're done -as expected the other is surprised because it never happened- to stay with his thoughts, as he didn't imagine that everything would be so hard.</p><p>
  <em>This is Sasuke. This is his Sasuke. But this is not the right Sasuke.</em>
</p><p>He cries without making a sound, losing track of time; when he regains composure and goes back to where he came from, to prepare for leaving, he hears noises.</p><p>He sees himself, together with Sasuke fighting together against a threat to the village.</p><p>He sees his son, possessed by the enemy, stabbing Sasuke in the eye, depriving him of his rinnegan.</p><p>He sees himself scared for the Uchiha, fearing for his life, and, once again, he cries for his double, because he's going to suffer even more.</p><p>Because he's going to lose everything.</p>
<hr/><p>"It wasn't the right time. He was...doomed. I couldn't save him".</p><p>
  <em>I couldn't have him completely.</em>
</p><p>He says when he comes back, before shutting down in a dark silence.</p><p>As a scientist, as his collaborator in the experiment that he wanted to try his whole life, Orochimaru coaxes him into replying to many questions: how it felt on his body and mind, if he experienced technical issues with chakra, if interactions were natural, if he was perceived as different or not, if that timeline was different and how.</p><p>Naruto replies shortly and efficiently, quickly getting a hold of himself.</p><p>"I'll bring my son over tomorrow. He might already be possessed by the enemy that attacked <em>them</em>. I trust you to not hurt him." he commands, without any hesitation whatsoever. As expected of the Seventh Hokage.</p><p>"The sooner you do it, the sooner we continue".</p><p>He adds, leaving.</p><p>It's a success: the village is saved and Naruto's popularity, that wasn't at its best level since Sasuke had returned to the village and his possessiveness had unsettled many, returns to how its post war peak.</p><p>After all he proved to be as dedicated to Konoha as his father and their predecessors, having put everyone's safety before his son, having the enemy extracted from him regardless of the risk.</p><p>He also proved to be shrewd, using Orochimaru for such a task, not putting anyone in danger, at least according to the official version.</p><p>
  <em>It's not appropriate to declare that he had been able to learn about this enemy only accidentally, having gotten back in time to retrieve his loved one.</em>
</p><p>The official version also includes the fact that he had sensed something off with his son, a version that finds confirmation in the coldness towards the boy, who, like his mother, finds it comforting to believe.</p><p>
  <em>Much more than thinking that his father couldn't look at him because he was the reason the only one he really loved had died.</em>
</p><p>The leaders of the main clans, that now are the new elders, are not satisfied with the Hokage's relationship with the sannin though.</p><p>They voice their complaints to his advisor Shikamaru, who sets up an Anbu team to patrol the sannin's compound once again.</p><p>
  <em>He'll have to find the right way to tell his leader and it's a drag, but he can't ignore them, especially since his instinct too is telling him that the Seventh is up to something.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>The earlier in time Naruto goes the dizzier he feels as he puts his feet on the unknown ground of the past, but it only lasts a few seconds.</p><p>Kyuubi's chakra is really amazing, he thinks every time, and every time his thought goes straight to the bijuu, who despite the flattery doesn't stop voicing its perplexities about this <em>experiment</em>, from its very idea to the blond's apparent pickiness, a characteristic that doesn't go unnoticed by the sannin as well, so much that, with a light tone, he remarks thatmaybe the Seventh doesn't really want to bring Sasuke back.</p><p>Naruto replies that when it will be <em>the right time</em> he will <em>do it</em>.</p><p>For a scientist working on the experiment of a lifetime, his answer doesn't make sense. Also because his stamina is not endless, so he has to use Juugo's chakra to keep up with the Seventh's irrational attempts, ignoring his command to keep Sasuke's former team away.</p><p>"<em>You don't have to worry about him, I'll send him away and he'll obey...just like Sasuke used to," the sannin tells the other with a mocking tone, pretending to not notice his possessive glare.</em></p><p>"Maybe you lack motivation…Maybe you want to see your friend in his timeline and nothing more..."</p><p>He comments after another fruitless trip, remembering when, the first time, he came back with blood on his teeth, a clear sign of their <em>intimate activities</em>.</p><p>"After all you are Konoha's Hokage, you're bound by rules and laws like all your predecessors...like Tobirama, even. It takes a different kind of courage to risk your everything on a kinjutsu...you can be proud of yourself for using it to eliminate a threat to the village, but maybe it's time to call it quits, Seventh..."</p><p>He's really a master in manipulation, and just like he knew that Sasuke's weaknesses were his low self-esteem and his relationship with his brother, he knows that Naruto can't stand not being considered the best in everything.</p><p>Even in secretly using a forbidden technique.</p><p>"I'm not gonna quit anything".</p><p>Naruto cuts him short.</p><p>"And next time you try to say something like this...you're not gonna be able to finish".</p><p>He threatens.</p><p>
  <em>Once he spotted Sasuke in the woods and he thought it was the right time, but as he got closer he saw him silently crying and whispering Itachi's name.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Once he saw him in the desert, during his journey of atonement; his look darkened when his hawk brought him a letter he had sent him, and that the Uchiha threw away after reading, as if it didn't matter. As if he didn't matter.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Once he couldn't find him anywhere and he realized he was imprisoned, and it would have been easy to break into the cell and take him, but he didn't feel it was the right time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He didn't feel that it was the right Sasuke.</em>
</p><p>He then graciously explains to the elder, whose scientific brain is too dense to understand his own mind, that he avoided those timelines because his friend had rinnegan, which is the cause for his death, so it's better to go back to a time he didn't have it yet.</p><p>Also, there is a moment that's particularly dear to him, he adds, without further explanations.</p><p>
  <em>It's when Sasuke appeared on the battlefield.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They hadn't fought side by side since their genin days, and yet, after years, they were completely in tune with each other, and, what was even more amazing, was not only that the Uchiha was following his lead naturally, but also that he was sincerely admiring him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There was a war going on and they were all risking their lives, but for Naruto it was the happiest time.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>The key to proper sage mode is balance, even in focus: if it's too superficial it won't be enough to blend in with the elements and travel in time, if it's too deep it won't be possible to stop and access another timeline.</p><p>Remembering that special moment, the anticipation of sensing his friend's chakra get closer, the emotion of seeing him for real on the battlefield, the pleasure of admiring how beautiful he was and the pride of having someone so skilled and clever accepting to follow his lead, is a big distraction for Naruto, who gets lost in such thoughts, so much that he forgets where he is, or when, the feeling of being on a boat, wearing a lifesaver, navigating strong currents being familiar by now.</p><p>Until he remembers where he is, not because of a rational act but because he's suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to get off.</p><p>Maybe he feels this way because it's the right time, he thinks, taking his first steps in a place that, he notices with extreme disappointment, it's not the battlefield.</p>
<hr/><p>The war changed the landscape drastically; many locations from the past don't exist anymore or are completely different. Naruto had appointed Shikamaru to supervise a team of experts to create new maps, but he never bothered comparing them to the old ones.</p><p>
  <em>He didn't need it. Besides, he wasn't Sasuke, who was good at theoretical things.</em>
</p><p>He remembers that place, only vaguely at first, until he senses different types of chakra.</p><p>Including his own.</p><p>
  <em>It was so much weaker, he notices, almost tenderly, almost as if he's looking at his own son.</em>
</p><p>And Sasuke's.</p><p>It feels like leafing through a photo album; it's a long gone past but he can see how both are so young and inexperienced.</p><p>He can see how he is so naive, so unaware of the darkness inside him, of the desire to possess the other so badly that it hurt.</p><p>
  <em>Back then it hurt him, tearing him from the inside. Afterwards, it gave him pleasure because he could possess Sasuke, who was the only one who got hurt.</em>
</p><p>He can see how Sasuke is so angry, so desperate, so determined yet so frail.</p><p>He can see how hard he tried to reach out to him and how cold and indifferent was the other.</p><p>He knows how his double feels, he remembers how frustrated he felt, even more so seeing him leave with the masked man.</p><p>He hears his young self tell Sasuke that he will either stop him or they'll die together.</p><p>He sees his young self putting up an act and pretend he's alright, that he's not dying inside. He would like to reassure him, revealing that he will succeed in stopping him. In saving him.</p><p>
  <em>In possessing him.</em>
</p><p>But it's not a wise thing. Besides, he's there for another reason.</p><p>He's there to save Sasuke. Again.</p><p>To possess him. Again.</p><p>This is the right time.</p><p>It's not what he wanted but destiny took him there it means something; back then, until Kakashi told him, he hadn't realized that his friend had become blind while fighting them, and it was after their encounter, after hearing his words, that Sasuke, who previously had refused to have Itachi's eyes transplanted, had changed his mind about it.</p><p>
  <em>Sasuke told him about it when they were in the hospital; he said that he changed his mind because he had realized that without Itachi's eyes he was much weaker than him, that without his brother's eyes he would have never kept up with him, let alone defeat him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Upon hearing his friend's words Naruto had felt a sudden rush of something, an unknowing precedent of the adrenaline he got from having the other admit his superiority.</em>
</p><p>Itachi's eyes didn't just give Sasuke his sight back, and with it eternal mangekyou sharingan; they also gave him his brother's memories. Being able to see everything the elder's sharingan had recorded solidified the younger's unconditional love for him, even before they met, when Itachi was brought back as Edo Tensei.</p><p>If Sasuke hadn't gotten Itachi's eyes he wouldn't have been powerful enough to have a crucial role in the war.</p><p>If he hadn't met Edo Tensei Itachi he wouldn't even have had the motivation to fight said war.</p><p>If he hadn't joined the battlefield he wouldn't have fought by his side, acknowledging him.</p><p>If this Sasuke won't have an eye transplant, if he won't meet his revived brother, if he won't fight in the warm their world will collapse.</p><p>Tobirama was clear though, and Orochimaru confirmed it: timelines affected by time travel don't overlap. What is changed in the past stays in that timeline.</p><p>What happens in this past won't affect their present.</p><p>Ethically, he will be guilty of provoking the collapse of the entire world, in this timeline, but it doesn't matter if he can have Sasuke.</p><p>It doesn't matter if he can have this Sasuke.</p><p>A blank slate, just like his brother had defined him once.</p><p>A blank slate that Itachi shaped him as he pleased in their timeline, and that, this time, it will be Naruto's turn to shape.</p>
<hr/><p>Another feature of sage mode, that Naruto didn't learn in the past but that he mastered thanks to Tobirama's forbidden scroll, is that it can hide not only his chakra but his very self, making him become one with the elements so well that he becomes invisible and intangible, so he can move everywhere without being noticed.</p><p>He briefly observes the masked man who introduced himself as Tobi first, then as Madara, to hide that he was just an Uchiha whose abilities weren't impressive when he was presumed dead, and whose only distinctive trait was to have given his sharingan to Kakashi, his best friend and rival. He had identified himself in Obito once, as both were not considered much as they were children, the only difference between them was that the Uchiha had fallen in the darkness, while he had fought to obtain everyone's acknowledgement -and more, their admiration. Their respect. Their reverence- and he had succeeded.</p><p>Looking at him now that he was the Hokage, he didn't find anything in common with this man impersonating someone else, someone stronger, as he keeps a hand behind Sasuke's back, heading him in his room.</p><p>
  <em>He should cut that hand and end this right now, but he learned to control himself.</em>
</p><p>There, he sends Zetsu to check that everything is ready, and tells Sasuke that he'll perform the transplant as soon as the younger recovers, otherwise, he explains, his body will reject them and they'll be wasted.</p><p>The young Uchiha nods without a word.</p><p>Despite his lack of sight, thus of focus on something or someone in particular, he looks irritated, not at the other but at himself and his weakness, and as soon as he's left alone he stops hiding it, slumping his shoulders and loosening his fists.</p><p>His hands are shaking, for the adrenaline, for everything he went through, for everyone he faced.</p><p>
  <em>He just killed Danzo, who, despite being the one who had ordered the slaughter of his clan, had told him that his brother's only mistake was the love for him -that he has been the cause of Itachi's suffering.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He just fought Kakashi, his sensei once, now an enemy who didn't care if he had fallen into the darkness -he proved it later, but for Naruto his greatest fault was to separate them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He just had a confrontation with him, and the result was that he had changed his mind about Itachi's eyes, because that's how connected they were -that's how connected they are and they'll always be.</em>
</p><p>His major injuries were healed by Karin, before he betrayed her, but he's full of cuts and bruises.</p><p>His entire body is shaking, but that's because he has a fever. His forehead is clammy and yet he must feel cold, since he grabs his Akatsuki cloak and almost hides inside it.</p><p>His blindness is obvious now that he's alone and doesn't have to act strong in front of others; his movements are hesitant and slow, both when he reaches out for his cloak and when he goes to his cot.</p><p>He falls asleep so quickly that Naruto realizes he fainted into unconsciousness, for the fatigue and extremely bad condition he's in.</p><p>The blond smiles, because it doesn't matter.</p><p>He's going to be better soon.</p><p>He can heal him when they're back.</p><p>He can fix his eyes.</p><p>He can fix him.</p><p>He can save him.</p><p>He will save him.</p><p>Once again.</p><p>And once again Sasuke's life will belong to him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Databook experts and technicalities nerds, I apologize. I make stuff up for the plot. In this case I think that sage mode is good for time travel and also concealing chakra and being invisible. If there is canon proof that it's not, I don't care lol</p><p>I also don't care about Boruto shit but I find it funny that since it started ppl are talking about Sasuke dying when imo he and Naruto are gonna be milked until the manga is at a point where it's super, Naruto level successful, if they're ever gonna be killed off. Or, on the other hand, it's gonna happen if kishi (and/or whatever author works on it) wants to completely cut off the new manga from the old one. Anyway I added a mention of this boruto stabbing Sasuke because whenever I see spoilers and shit they are always fitting with the post ending dynamics I wrote in, say, In The Dark, What He Wanted, Of Feathers And Fangs. From this very dark perspective the ending and everything that came after, make sense. Ewww</p><p>I could easily write the names of post ending canon characters' and enemies' but I don't want to, because I don't care about them.</p><p>Naruto cries but like in canon he's very strong; seeing Sasuke in the past is emotionally intense for him, in the beginning.</p><p>He's no longer a kid, he's an adult who's good at being a leader, so he doesn't react impulsively and emotionally anymore. He reacts like a leader, even when he's doing something forbidden. Also, in shippuuden, he acted calmly every time he was under stress, unlike Sasuke who's calm and rational the whole time, but when he's really cornered, really under stress, he reacts impulsively.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. I Met A Traveller</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The chapter title is taken from the P.B.Shelley poem Ozymandias.<br/>I wanted to write a short chapter because shorter chapters mean updating sooner but I wasn’t exactly quick. It would be even sooner if I wasn't working on more fics at the same time, but things and inspiration just happen.</p><p>There is some anti Hinata content, and some negative description of the Konoha system works. And, of course, the Narusasu relationship is depicted in a dark way, since this is a dark NS fic. If it bothers you don’t read and if you do don’t bitch after.<br/>Also because things will get darker from the next chapters.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>"<em>Hello don't you know me<br/></em><em>I'm the dirt beneath your feet</em><br/><em>The most important fool you forgot to see" (Soundgarden, Mailman)</em></p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>"Congratulations Seventh, you made it! You will be known as the first person who brought someone from the past...if you'll ever decide to make this information public, that is..."</p><p>Orochimaru clapped his hands slowly, seeing Naruto appear in the designated area, carrying an unconscious Sasuke in his arms.</p><p>
  <em>He's even lighter than the Sasuke who had the same illness as his brother and who died to protect his son.</em>
</p><p>"I have bad news instead..."</p><p>He adds, handing him a scroll.</p><p>"It arrived two hours ago. The Hokage surely won't mind if I opened it before him, as I needed to know if I had to bring you back...I was almost about to do it, actually".</p><p>It's Shikamaru's handwriting, urging him to come back because Konoha is under attack by the same enemy who tried to take his son.</p><p>
  <em>They have been fighting for some hours while he was away for more than one day.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Time flows differently in other realities; just like Sasuke, who traveled through dimensions, told him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The old Sasuke, he mentally corrects himself, since there is a new Sasuke for him now.</em>
</p><p>Naruto carefully places Sasuke on a sort of armchair, making sure that his head stays in a comfortable way, then he glares at the sannin.</p><p>
  <em>A strand of hair falls on his face, covering half of it; for a moment it reminds Naruto the time his friend came back from his journey of atonement, when he started covering his left eye.</em>
</p><p>"I have to go. Don't let him wake up without me. Don't speak to him without me. Don't let his former teammates see him".</p><p>His look exudes an even more threatening aura, especially when chakra surrounds him.</p><p>"And don't you dare lay a finger on him."</p><p>Orochimaru doesn't show fear.</p><p>"Not even to check on his health? I can tell he has a fever..."</p><p>He doesn't show disrespect either.</p><p>"I told you already...we are on the same side now".</p><p>"Are we? You wanted to do <em>this </em>as an experiment, now that I have Sasuke the experiment is over".</p><p>Naruto says matter-of-factly.</p><p>"You're not familiar with science aren't you? Of course you're not, you're a man of power, not of science..." the sannin chuckles.</p><p>
  <em>Sasuke was the one with a penchant for theoretical stuff, he thinks, correcting himself because even if he comes from the past Sasuke is alive, right there.</em>
</p><p>"An experiment is over only when the scientist calls it over, because they lost interest in it and found another subject of research, or because they observed significant results...I haven't lost my interest in this. In fact, I am eager to observe what will happen from now on, and I want you to achieve the...<em>significant results</em> you wish for".</p><p>He calmly explains.</p><p>
  <em>His goal being immortality, his research used to be related to physical abilities and chakra, but now that he has an incorruptible body he can study different subjects: the infinitely big like time travel, and infinitely small yet mysterious human mind.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For the latter he can't have better subjects.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A now powerful man who grew up shunned for the monster he had inside, and whose biggest desire was to be noticed by everyone, admired by everyone, like the Hokage, and who worked to become one, despite developing the strongest obsession over his rival and best friend, so strong that he spent years trying to bring him back, and when he did he turned him into his own possession, and when said possession died he did everything to bring him back once more.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A boy who, unlike his deceased counterpart, hasn't been guilt-tripped, tamed into submission, completely broken by his former mentor and his best friend who abused him for years, but who is broken in a different way, and whose only purpose in life is to avenge the brother who destroyed his life as consequence of an order given by the village the younger now wants to destroy in return, no matter the toll it takes on him.</em>
</p><p>"I won't let you have Sasuke and you know. So what do you get out of this?"</p><p>Naruto asks.</p><p>"Knowledge, of course…" the sannin replies, slightly annoyed, as if it's obvious.</p><p>
  <em>He never had to repeat anything to Sasuke.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Even if Naruto is anything but stupid, he's often too self-centered to listen.</em>
</p><p>"...I don't need Sasuke anymore, or any other body, since I have Zetsu's cells. Like I said already, I want to observe the developments of your….relationship with <em>this </em>Sasuke, who actually, might remember me more than you…".</p><p>
  <em>He's right; this Sasuke's memories are more closely connected to the time he spent under Orochimaru than to the time he spent with Naruto.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>This Sasuke only has his brother in his mind, not his friend.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>This Sasuke is pure and raw and inherently different from the one who died, they both know it but they both avoid mentioning it out loud.</em>
</p><p>He stops for a moment while the other glares at him.</p><p>"So don't worry, you have my word: I won't do anything against your Sasuke".</p><p><em>Your </em>Sasuke is the right choice of words, for the Sasuke that rightfully belonged in this timeline is gone and although Orochimaru made it possible, it was Naruto who went in the past to retrieve another.</p><p>"I have sons now, and I want them to be under your protection...You never know what the village might do to outsiders and supposed enemies".</p><p>He looks at Sasuke, hinting at the Uchiha massacre.</p><p>"The eldest is a proud Konoha shinobi, who wants to enter the Torture Interrogation Division and protect the Leaf from the shadows..."</p><p>The sannin says, irony coloring his words, for it really is ironic.</p><p>
  <em>Or maybe not, coming from the artificially created son of a rogue who did experiments on people.</em>
</p><p>"You want to know Konoha secrets, don't you?"</p><p>Naruto interrupts him.</p><p>"You mean there is something I don't know yet?"</p><p>The other rebukes.</p><p>"Fine. I'll put your older son in Ibiki's care. But remember my words: if you do anything to Sasuke I'll do the same to your younger son".</p><hr/><p>Once again Naruto is hailed as the savior.</p><p>The difference in power between him and the other shinobi is so big that he decides to form a task force to deal with Otsutsuki enemies, with whom it's impossible to be on par without jinchuuriki levels of chakra or advanced visual prowess, but it's important to find strength in numbers.</p><p>
  <em>Especially now that he has Sasuke back and he needs diversions and good temporary replacements.</em>
</p><p>He appoints Kakashi as the commander.</p><p>
  <em>The man is surprised, as the Seventh had unofficially banned him from every responsibility after Sasuke's marriage.</em>
</p><p>He appoints Hanabi Hyuuga as his second in command, as she's strong, and hers is the only clan with doujutsu now.</p><p>
  <em>His wife is the Hyuuga heiress but as weak as she always was she retired from shinobi life as soon as they got married.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>How different from Sasuke, who wanted to avenge his clan against the village, so much that he fell into the darkness for it; his wife forgot about her people, and her cousin who died to protect her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Naruto himself forgot about the promise he once made to Neji, to change the system that created his condition of subordinate to the main branch, so he didn't blame his wife. In fact, he had always hated Sasuke's devotion for his clan, and especially his brother.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So much that he had punished his friend over and over for it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So much that he's ready to do it again, albeit he hopes that this time it will be different.</em>
</p><p>As promised, he appoints Orochimaru's older son as Ibiki's second, ignoring the objections of those who claimed that the son of a criminal wasn't fit for such an important role.</p><p>
  <em>A good leader is both threatening and magnanimous.</em>
</p><hr/><p>It feels weird to enter the Torture and Interrogation quarters; the building hasn't been maintained much, as there haven't been many prisoners since he is Hokage.</p><p>Not even a long time ago Sasuke tried to convince him to dismantle the unit, despite knowing how much he hated to be told what to do and how much it would cost him.</p><p>
  <em>That time Naruto listened to him calmly, then he slapped him in the face so hard that the other's ear buzzed. He shoved him on the table and flung himself on him, one hand choking him, the other clawing his hip as he entered him brutally and fucked him raw, not even noticing when the Uchiha passed out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sasuke was used to getting back to consciousness coughing to regain his breathing, struggling to not pass out again from the pain, and he was used to waking up to a fully calm Naruto, even if the last time he had seen him he was in a totally different state.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That time wasn't different; the Seventh was fully in control of his own emotions, sitting at his table, signing documents.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I was almost convinced by your suggestion, Sasuke," he said, when he noticed that the other was awake, "but it's better to not change the way things are. Besides…"</em></p><p>
  <em>He got up and reached him, placing one knee on the sofa, beside the Uchiha's waist, supporting himself with the other leg.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I know you think that an idea can be good no matter who came up with it...but I'm different".</em></p><p>
  <em>He sunk his fist in the other's black hair and pulled backwards, exposing his throat.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I am the Hokage and I can't follow the suggestions of a former traitor...of someone who left the village to follow Orochimaru...who gave his body to him...who killed his own brother and betrayed his best friend…"</em></p><p>
  <em>Sasuke looked away, but Naruto brought his face back towards him.</em>
</p><p>"<em>So not only I will keep the Torture and Interrogation Unit, but the next time we'll have a prisoner, you will interrogate him. Using all means".</em></p><p>
  <em>Sasuke nodded, his expression blank once more, before starting to suck.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He had the chance to obey this order not much later; he had the creeps every time he crossed paths with Ibiki, as expected of someone who had been tortured as well.</em>
</p><hr/><p>When Sasuke wakes up he can see only vague shapes, but he understands that there is something different from all the hideouts, and all the situations, he has been so far.</p><p>He can tell from the light that he's in a room with a window, and he's lying on a real bed, not a futon or a makeshift cot.</p><p>Propping himself on his elbows he feels dizzy but not as bad as <em>before </em>-when was before by the way?- and, more importantly, he can't feel his chakra.</p><p>There is <em>something </em>on his neck and wrists; not an object but some kind of suppression seal. Could it be that Danzo didn't die and caught him instead?</p><p>He is blind, his eyes are useless, but maybe his enemy didn't understand it yet; it doesn't make sense though, as the man would have plucked them out as soon as he could and he would have killed him on the spot, or thrown him in the dingiest cell.</p><p>Danzo isn't the only one using this kind of seal though.</p><p>
  <em>Could it be that 'he' is back?</em>
</p><p>He hears steps and voices. People are getting closer. They enter the room.</p><p>He straightens his back as much as he can, yet remaining under the covers.</p><p>He doesn't recognize the one who speaks first, and who repeats his name over and over.</p><p>"Do you really have to check him again? You had time to do it these days already."</p><p>
  <em>So he has been here for days already, Sasuke takes a mental note.</em>
</p><p>"Unlike the previous days now he's awake..."</p><p>He recognizes the second one.</p><p>"I treated the infection, the fever is gone. He's almost blind but we'll deal with that later".</p><p>
  <em>He recognizes both his voice and his hands.</em>
</p><p>"Hello Sasuke, I'm sure you recognize me. I am glad to see you again."</p><p>"Orochimaru…"</p><p>Sasuke mutters, confused.</p><p>
  <em>He really is back.</em>
</p><p>He knew that he hadn't really killed his sensei and mentor; he was too strong, he knew too much about regeneration and immortality to be killed by his pupil.</p><p>
  <em>Sasuke hasn't thought about Orochimaru much.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After defeating him he freed all his prisoners, formed his own team, killed his own brother, and he didn't imagine his life after that moment, but then he learned the truth, and his new resolve was to avenge Itachi, so he killed Danzo and he was planning to destroy Konoha.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He didn't have time to look back and think about the past. He doesn't.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The only past that matters is the one with his family.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Even if Orochimaru has been a constant in his life for three years.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Even if Orochimaru has taken his virginity.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Even if Orochimaru has done things to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It doesn't matter: he followed the sannin to become stronger, he learned everything he could and in exchange he promised to give him his body and so he did.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As his vessel or a source of pleasure there is no difference: only his goals mattered.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Everything else was irrelevant. And still is.</em>
</p><p>"Yes dear. But I'll leave the explanations to someone who really wants to talk to you now…"</p><p>Orochimaru says, gently brushing his forehead before leaving, closing the door after him.</p><p>Sasuke remains in silence, trying to take in more details about the situation he's in.</p><p>
  <em>Somehow the disgust he felt when he defeated the sannin is gone; maybe because time has passed, maybe because back then he hated his brother, but now that he knows the truth the ones he really hates are those who let the massacre happen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As well as himself, who killed his own brother.</em>
</p><p>"Sasuke…do you recognize me?"</p><p>The other's voice shakes him out of his musings.</p><p>"You're not Kabuto...someone from the Sound?"</p><p>He can only reply, associating Orochimaru with his main assistant, although he always had more than one.</p><p>
  <em>Even Karin. Where is she, by the way? Did she heal herself from the wound he inflicted her, or did she die too?</em>
</p><p>If this was <em>his </em>Sasuke, the one who died protecting his son, Naruto would have instantly punished his disrespect, but it's not<em> -not now, not yet-</em> so he bites his lip and tells himself that the boy is blind and confused, and his adult voice is different.</p><p>"I'm Naruto".</p><p>At first Sasuke doesn't say anything. He just looks at the blurred silhouette in front of him, trying to make out their features with no result.</p><p>
  <em>If only he could see he would notice that even though the silhouette is that of a tall and muscular man with short hair, his blue eyes, his blond hair and the whisker-like marks are Naruto's.</em>
</p><p>Only when the stranger repeats his words he speaks.</p><p>"You think I'd believe this bullshit?"</p><p>He says snarkily.</p><p>
  <em>Even though, as an adult, Sasuke was extremely thin and extremely pale, he was almost as tall as him and had longer, almost flat hair; this Sasuke's hair is short and messy and sticking out in every direction, and he is shorter and smaller in frame, and sitting on the bed he looks even younger, reminding Naruto of the time he woke up in the hospital, after being beaten by Itachi. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Back then too Sasuke had acted in a snarky and aggressive way.</em>
</p><p>"Sasuke..I am Naruto...from a different timeline. I went in the past and took you in my time".</p><p>
  <em>A Naruto from the future took him from his present time -is this sort of mind game Orochimaru's revenge?</em>
</p><p>"You're even more stupid than Naruto if you think I'd believe you!"</p><p>Naruto bites his lip again.</p><p><em>His </em>Sasuke would never say something like this, but <em>this </em>Sasuke is full of hate and anger.</p><p>This Sasuke chose the darkness instead of the light coming from his friend and rival, whose strength he hasn't admitted to have always admired.</p><p>Naruto knows all this, because his Sasuke told him.</p><p>
  <em>Because he made his Sasuke tell him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Because his Sasuke was broken and tame and he kept breaking him until he became his own doll, his own thing, like he had always wanted.</em>
</p><p>"Sasuke. Do you remember what I told you when we fought at the Valley of the End?"</p><p><em>When we fought there the first time</em>, he's about to say but he stops because in his timeline it hasn't happened yet.</p><p>
  <em>In his timeline it will never happen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>In his timeline the world will probably be destroyed by Kaguya, but Naruto doesn't care, as long as he can have Sasuke back.</em>
</p><p>"I told you the same when we met again after you killed Danzo and fought Kakashi."</p><p>He continues, getting closer and leaning on the wall.</p><p>"I told you that two high-level shinobi can reach each others' minds when they exchange fists; that I finally understood what you were going through, and if it meant exchanging blows, then I'd continue to do so to further understand you."</p><p>Both remember that moment well, even though for the blond it happened years before, and then it happened again but this time he was an onlooker, while for the Uchiha it happened only days before.</p><p>"You spied on me, so what?"</p><p>Sasuke moves to get out of the bed.</p><p>"Why don't we exchange fists instead, so you'll know I'm right?"</p><p>Naruto reiterates.</p><p>"Because I told <em>Naruto </em>already," he stresses Naruto's name, to emphasize that he doesn't believe the stranger, "I'm not interested in his thoughts. I never was."</p><p>The first time Sasuke told him such words, the blond had felt sad and frustrated because his friend didn't reciprocate his feelings.</p><p>So much time had passed and Sasuke became his in body, mind and soul, and yet he still occasionally felt that poisonous mix of sadness and fear and anger, so much that every time he felt that the other was rejecting him, he submitted him to his will, over and over.</p><p>Now he realizes that the rejection he felt in those moments was nothing compared to the real thing.</p><p>And yet it's not his fault; it's the darkness inside him speaking, Naruto tells himself trying to control the impulse to make him regret every word he said so far through blood.</p><p>But it's hard.</p><p>"Now cut this crap and bring your leader here."</p><p>The boy commands.</p><p>"I am the leader here."</p><p>Through the wall of self-control he's painfully imposing himself a small amount of his kyuubi chakra suddenly flares; despite not being able to see or recognize him, or, without rinnegan, to tell his chakra, Sasuke can sense its huge power.</p><p>And its barely bridled beastly nature.</p><p>It's so scary and sickening that he can't get out of the bed, he can't even sit straight, but he's no longer a genin at his first mission, he's a rogue shinobi who killed Danzo.</p><p>
  <em>And his own brother.</em>
</p><p>He never felt such powerful chakra in his life, not even Killer B's was that strong.</p><p>And yet there is something vaguely familiar to it. Could it be that the stranger is right and he's really Naruto from the future? That he was taken in the future as well?</p><p>He shakes these thoughts out of his head though, for he can't waste time.</p><p>He just started to avenge his brother killing Danzo, now he has to kill the elders and then destroy the village.</p><p>Avenging his brother is his one and only goal.</p><p>Everything else is irrelevant.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It was a challenge to write this chapter, even though I planned this fic a long time ago.<br/>Sasuke and Naruto are in totally different mindsets, they are like parallel lines, and having them interact for the first time is not simple.<br/>This ‘akatsuki’ Sasuke is not like the Sasuke who died and who shared countless experiences with Naruto. The Sasuke who died was brainwashed in prison and after, with his dark relationship with Naruto, who got used to a submissive Sasuke and who didn’t expect such a different one.<br/>This Sasuke didn’t get through fundamental moments, his only goal is avenging Itachi, he doesn’t feel the same kind of attachment to Naruto. He thinks it’s Orochimaru who wants revenge on him, because he’s, in terms of time passing, closer to those times with Naruto, and he knows Orochimaru’s strength more, having been 3 years with him, so he thinks he’s the leader of whatever is happening.<br/>So he doesn’t believe NAruto, also because he knew Kyuubi’s chakra from when Naruto was not as strong as post ending, so I assumed it’s not exactly the same. Also because back then Naruto hadn’t aknowledged his inner darkness, and he wasn’t as dark and possessive as OFAF Naruto.</p><p>There is a flashback of OFAF times because adult  NAruto really ‘loves’ in his own crazy way adult Sasuke, and because I like that setting and dynamics, and it’s its sequel so it's ok (how pointless is this thing I wrote btw?). </p><p>In that flashback I vaguely referred to an old new stuff chapter I saw ages ago, where Sasuke told some prisoner that he’d make him talk no matter what and that the prisoner knows what he can do...or smth.  </p><p>I looked some details up (like also the quote about exchanging fists, and Orochimaru’s older son) and it’s not specified how Orochimaru doesn’t need bodies anymore after the ending so I assumed he uses Zetsu body/bodies/cells, kind of like what he did to bring the past Kage back.</p><p>Sasuke remains under the covers in the bed because he’s still a little weak and has no chakra, kind of like when he wakes up in Obito’s hideout and he’s told the truth. And also because it’s cute lol</p><p>I like to write Konoha’s society and politics, when they’re needed in the context. Here they won’t be mentioned much but they will, a little. Naruto likes celebrity and admiration and he makes empty promises so he’s the politician type, my fic shows this, and it goes further, showing a system of favors that are very politician-like.</p><p>There is some anti-Hinata feeling because she’s a bad character imo, I hate how she was written in such a weak way for a shinobi, and how this weakness stayed in the way she became a housewise and so on, not addressing the clan’s issues. Idk anything about her sister but I remember she was stronger and it’s enough for my fic.</p><p>Needless to say, all these are my opinions, in my fic, so if you disagree don’t interact like I wouldn’t interact if I read yours lol</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Unseeing eyes, Unforgiving Hands</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't read/watch new stuff, but this story is set in that universe with adult Naruto, his kids and all that shit that I hate, I mention them at times and I try to not make them OOC but since I don't watch it, they are all subjected to my plot. Like this Orochimaru's son 'Log', his name is so wtf but he was fit for his role in this chapter.</p><p>With this chapter things are getting darker, as I warned. So let me repeat it: this is a darkfic with dark Naruto and dark Narusasu. If you have a problem with it, pls don't read.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"I don't want to hear your story</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I don't want to hear why</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And I even don't care if you're sorry" (Soundgarden, Uncovered)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>This time the chuunin exams are held in Suna.</p><p>Naruto can't refuse an invitation from Gaara, his friend and peer, being the both of them Kage, and he's actually glad to have an excuse to leave.</p><p>
  <em>During his life he rarely doubted himself, but now he can't stop asking himself if he made a mistake, if he should have gone back to a closer past, if he should have taken an older Sasuke, if he should have tried to heal him, involving Orochimaru, Tsunade, Kabuto, whomever had medical knowledge, forcing them should they refuse to help him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>At the same time he can't overlook the strong feeling he had upon seeing that Sasuke, facing his young self after having killed Danzo.</em>
</p><p>The Kazekage assumes that the reason behind his friend's distracted attitude is Sasuke's death, so he gives him his sincere condolences and lets him know that he's ready to listen to whatever he might want to talk about.</p><p>Naruto is almost tempted to take his offer, thanking his friend for his kindness and reassuring him that he doesn't need condolences anymore, because he traveled through time to bring Sasuke back in his life.</p><p>Nevertheless he holds back, imagining how the other would react and how badly he -and everyone else- would think of him, for since Academy they all are taught to be ready to give their life for their village, and yet their leader, the one they all consider a hero, couldn't accept the death of a fellow comrade.</p><p>Even if said comrade was his soulmate.</p><p>
  <em>Besides, his personal mission, or, how Orochimaru would call it, his experiment, wasn't even successful, as the Sasuke he brought back is nothing like the one who died.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>This Sasuke is not his Sasuke, Kyuubi told him many times already.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Not yet, he replied just as many times.</em>
</p><hr/><p>Not trusting Orochimaru to get too close to Sasuke with him away, he requested his older son to guard him at all times.</p><p>Being loyal to the village and to the Hokage, and being thankful for his recent promotion, Log accepted the task without questions.</p><p>Naruto knew that he could obtain any information from his father, but he also knew that he would have been discreet about it.</p><p>Besides, he had no better option.</p><p>He started to regret his choice as he was going back to Konoha, when, the more he was approaching the hideout, the weirder feeling he was having.</p><p>Entering the sealed zone he doesn't sense Orochimaru, which is a good sign, proving that he had obeyed his order. It isn't a good sign, on the contrary, to hear muffled noises coming from inside the cabin, where Sasuke is chained to the wall, and Log is roughing him up.</p><p>"What the hell is happening here?"</p><p>The Seventh barges in roaring, despite the thick clouds of smoke from the man's cigarettes.</p><p>"Seventh-sama...The prisoner tried to escape...".</p><p>The man is startled at first, but then he gains composure.</p><p>Naruto sees that his right eye is bandaged, from a clearly fresh wound.</p><p>"...I had to restrain him. And to punish him, so he would learn his place".</p><p>As expected of a Torture and Interrogation squad member; Ibiki would have replied, and acted, in the same way.</p><p>
  <em>Ibiki said, and did, even worse while Sasuke was imprisoned.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Naruto hated him but he blamed Kakashi for poor supervision and, although he had no proof, for collusion.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Is now the same as back then? Is he to blame for Log's behavior?</em>
</p><p>"I wasn't clear: This person is not a prisoner. This person is mine."</p><p>Naruto flares his kyuubi chakra.</p><p>"No one is allowed to punish him. Or to do anything to him unless I say so."</p><p><em>Which I won't, for I am the only one who can and will do things to him -</em>he doesn't need to say it out loud; it's clear from the killing intent in his aura, so strong that, not able to stand up anymore, Log falls on his knees and hands.</p><p>"The only reason I won't punish you is because of your father."</p><p>
  <em>Who would have thought that Naruto would have promised Orochimaru to not let anything bad happen to his sons, but life is strange. Death is strange. Losing his loved one is strange.</em>
</p><p>As the man is slowly getting up he adds:</p><p>"Now leave. And if you tell anyone about <em>him </em>you're over. And so your brother."</p><hr/><p>Chained up to the wall, Sasuke is unconscious, probably not so much for the beating but for Kyuubi's massive chakra.</p><p>
  <em>It feels good to see the effects of his power on him. It's addictive.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Especially after months without it.</em>
</p><p>His face is full of bruises and cuts, his nose and lips are bloodied, one eye is swollen.</p><p>His clothes are tattered; his shirt is ripped open and his pants have cuts and holes. Only his Akatsuki cloak, that he must have been wearing earlier, is intact.</p><p>There are visible cigarette burns on his throat, collarbone and waist, and less visible ones on his legs. His torso is badly bruised too, he probably has a few broken ribs.</p><p>In the past Naruto would have never cared about having healing abilities, but as an adult he deeply valued it, even though he still hasn't understood how he can do it.</p><p>
  <em>Not that he used it much, other than for Sasuke, after he was done with him.</em>
</p><p>Touching this younger, smaller, thinner Sasuke, feels familiar and new at the same time.</p><p>He started touching his friend in a deliberate, conscious way only once he came back to the village; before that, whenever he had touched him, it had been for sparring or for fighting.</p><p>It had been a totally different touch.</p><p>An almost inaudible groan warns him that Sasuke is awake, although not saying anything, not being able to see, yet realizing that the one cleaning the blood away from his face and body is not the smoker who burned him with his cigarettes, but the imposter claiming to be Naruto from the future.</p><p>"So you tried to escape and you hurt Orochimaru's son huh? What did you even use? Oh..."</p><p>Naruto asks, before noticing a bloodied chopstick on the ground.</p><p>
  <em>No prisoner would be given chopsticks to eat, but Sasuke wasn't a prisoner.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Not a real one. Not in the traditional sense.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Besides, in the past Naruto never had to take basic things away from Sasuke.</em>
</p><p>"Orochimaru doesn't have sons," Sasuke replied after making sure that he can breathe and speak without breaking.</p><p>"He didn't in your times. He does now".</p><p>Naruto heals his swollen eye, taking a moment to look in the other's blind eyes.</p><p>
  <em>He looks so fragile now, so vulnerable, even though he's trying hard to look strong.</em>
</p><p>"You're lying. And you're not Naruto".</p><p>Sasuke interrupts.</p><p>He spoke to focus on something other than the pain, a sort of inner burning feeling on the part that's being healed. This stranger's way of healing is different how medic nins do it, because that makes the body feel numb. It's also different from how Karin does it, because that makes the body tingle.</p><p>"It's rude to interrupt, Sasuke. Especially when older people are talking. Even more so when a Kage is talking".</p><p>Naruto says calmly as he heals the younger's ribs.</p><p>"I remember you never used honorifics, but I didn't remember you interrupted...I remember how I did it all the time when I was young. Actually my elder does it too. Not when I speak though."</p><p>He continues, crouching to heal the boy's legs from cuts and burns, then getting up.</p><p>"I have sons too, you know..."</p><p>He adds, in a lower voice.</p><p>
  <em>He sounds almost ashamed; of time passing, of certain life choices, he doesn't know.</em>
</p><p>Sasuke is clean from blood now, bruiseless and healed. His clothes are destroyed, Naruto makes a mental note to bring him something to wear. Maybe his son's clothes will fit, maybe he'll take some pants and tops from the uniforms depot. His musings are interrupted though.</p><p>"Bullshit…"</p><p>Sasuke mutters, in his blind eyes anger and defiance, that Naruto has almost forgotten from him.</p><p>"You have children? Then why the hell are you here...<em>Naruto</em>?"</p><p>He pronounces his name sarcastically, to show that he doesn't believe him.</p><p>Naruto breathes deeply to control himself.</p><p>He succeeds only with his chakra, not with his hands.</p><p>Without a word, he punches Sasuke's face.</p><p>The boy smirks, licking the blood on the side of his lip, becoming even more defiant.</p><p>"Sakura must be waiting for you…<em>Naruto</em>."</p><p>
  <em>He has no idea that his wife is Hinata, that he was forced to see him marry Sakura.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He has no idea about anything, not even about Naruto, who remembers that time Itachi told him that Sasuke was pure, like a blank slate.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was right: this Sasuke is exactly like this. A pure, blank slate he will have to paint with his own colors, no matter how difficult it will be.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A creature he will have to tame no matter how painful it will be.</em>
</p><p>Naruto punches Sasuke's stomach so hard that when he pulls his fist out the boy coughs over and over. It's not enough to stop him though.</p><p>"What's the problem <em>Naruto</em>?"</p><p>Sasuke taunts as soon as he has a little oxygen in his lungs.</p><p>Naruto punches him again, this time aiming at his solar plexus.</p><p>"Why are you mad <em>Naruto</em>?"</p><p>Despite struggling to breathe, Sasuke keeps taunting him, deliberately stressing his name.</p><p>Would he act differently if he could see the cold look on the older man's face? Probably not. He always lacked self preservation, Naruto muses as his fists and knees and feet hit the younger's face, gut, throat and legs over and over.</p><hr/><p>The first thing Sasuke feels as he regains his senses is a slap on his cheek.</p><p>He's chained to the wall yet, or again.</p><p>Naruto is touching his midsection, probably checking for wounds. He must have healed them all because nothing hurts.</p><p>
  <em>Except for his pride, as he has been captured by a creep and he has no time for this, he has to avenge his brother and his clan. He has to destroy Konoha.</em>
</p><p>"I'm not married to Sakura but you couldn't know. Actually I stopped liking her ages ago. In fact I never really loved her…"</p><p>
  <em>In fact I always loved you and no one else, he thinks, but he doesn't say it. Not yet.</em>
</p><p>His voice is calm again, his tone condescending, as if he's explaining things to a child.</p><p>"I married Hinata who always loved me, it was the correct thing to do after the war..Also in respect of her cousin...Neji".".</p><p>
  <em>It was the right choice to reward the one who had always liked him, especially since she came from a powerful clan. So Kakashi had told him back then.</em>
</p><p>Sasuke's unseeing eyes don't hide his expression: he has no idea whom the stranger is talking about.</p><p>"Why are you still going on this bullshit I don't give a damn about!"</p><p>He snaps, annoyed by the amount of useless detail he's been told, thinking that the only useful information was the mention of a war, which matched with what he heard in the Kage Meeting, before he barged in, and what Obito told him as well.</p><p>Naruto grabs him by the hair and pulls his head backwards.</p><p>"You should start listening to me. You should start believing me. And you will. I will make you".</p><p>"Tch. Fuck you".</p><p>The boy retorts.</p><p>"How childish…"</p><p>Naruto says, impassively, sinking his fist into the younger's stomach.</p><p>"I can go on like this forever, Sasuke...can you resist though?"</p><p>He sinks it deeper.</p><p>"So, I was about to inform you that <em>you </em>had a daughter too," Naruto continues, his composed voice contrasting with the pressure he was appling, "<em>you</em> weren't exactly a good father but it wasn't your fault...after all, Kakashi forced you to marry Sakura, to atone for your crimes…"</p><p>Sasuke should not react because this is clearly a provocation, but his mouth doesn't listen to his brain.</p><p>"You really expect me to fall for this scam? At least make your stories believable...<em>Naruto</em>!"</p><p>Nothing changed in his behavior; he's going to repeat himself many times, Naruto muses, beating him again and again.</p><p>
  <em>He's going to do many things to him. Whether he wants or not.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Naruto knows better what Sasuke needs.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After all, he didn't want to be saved by him, but he needed it.</em>
</p><p>Sasuke tries to harden his muscles and take the punches and kicks, he tries to control his breathing between the hits, but it's impossible; the stranger is incredibly strong.</p><p>He's even stronger than Killer B, so far the most dangerous opponent he ever faced.</p><p>He faints again.</p><hr/><p>When he regains senses everything feels like the last time: he's still chained up, his body is not hurting anymore, and that man is in front of him.</p><p>
  <em>It's weird for Naruto, to remember that he used to tie Sasuke up for pleasure, not to keep him captive, like this younger and wilder one he brought back.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Not that he's afraid that he would escape, as stronger as he is.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It's just for discipline. It's for Sasuke's own good.</em>
</p><p>"Will you start all over, Naruto? Aren't you bored?"</p><p>He taunts.</p><p>"Not really….not yet, Sasuke."</p><p>Naruto replies, getting closer, brushing his hand on the younger's cheek.</p><p>"Why do you even heal me everytime?"</p><p>The boy asks, even though his low tone suggests that it's more like a musing he made to himself, as expected of someone whose brother called worthless to be even killed.</p><p>"Because I can. I can hurt you and I can heal you. I can do anything to you."</p><p>Sasuke snorts, but before he makes a sarcastic comeback the other speaks again.</p><p>"I can also give you back your sight. Do you want it?"</p><p>He doesn't reply at first, until Naruto grabs his throat reiterating the question.</p><p>"What do you think?"</p><p>He glares at him with empty eyes, that become teary when the man slaps him hard enough to turn his head on the side and leave an angry mark on his cheekbone.</p><p>"You should start respecting me then".</p><p>Naruto scolds, pulling his chin up with his thumb, running his other hand on his chest and waist, up and down, then up again, on his neck and throat, only to stop on his cheek.</p><p>
  <em>He would like to unchain him and put him on his knees and make him earn his sight, but he tells himself that there is time for that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He must look at him first. He must recognize him first.</em>
</p><p>"What do you see?"</p><p>He asks.</p><p>"Nothing, you idiot".</p><p>Naruto slaps him one more time.</p><p>"What do you see?"</p><p>He asks again.</p><p>"I can't see, you damn-"</p><p>Naruto grabs his throat and squeezes.</p><p>"What do you see?"</p><p>He asks again.</p><p>"Nothing…"</p><p>Sasuke wheezes, defeated, as the elder loosens his grip.</p><p>Naruto places his hands on the younger's eyes.</p><p>
  <em>That burning feeling again. Sasuke tries not to wince, not to make any sound.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He can't show any weakness.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He has a goal, he must escape and avenge his brother.</em>
</p><p>"What do you see?"</p><p>Sasuke blinks a few times, then he widens his eyes: he can see.</p><p>He can see the man in front of him, a tall blond muscular adult with short hair and whisker-like marks on his cheeks.</p><p>He activates his sharingan. It's not genjutsu.</p><p>The stranger wasn't lying.</p><p>"Naruto…"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, as I was saying, wtf is this Log name? But then I also saw on Narutopedia that there is a Victor in Boruto? and I couldn't stop laughing, it looks like those 2002ish marysue Jayden Uchiha OCs xD</p><p>I couldn't bring myself to watch Boruto for verifying how he addresses his father, if he respects him or not so it might be wrong. I guess he is not respectful, for comic relief and to show that he suffers that his father has no time for him, that they have a complicated relationship, that he's not like his younger self even if he kind of is, and whatever more. I don't really care. He's just a minor character in my AU, where he gets mentioned only for plot purposes.</p><p>Sasuke has low self esteem, he sees himself as a tool for a purpose, not a person deserving things, it shows more in other moments, but still it shows, and in my fic it shows too.</p><p>This story is tragic but I always laughed at anti ending jokes where Sasuke doesn't know who Hinata is and/or mistakes her for Neji xD He's so the type who doesn't remember names lol</p><p>For Naruto, confronting a younger Sasuke is an unexpected occasion to reconsider his life choices. This will show in the next chapter more, but even now, mentioning his family to him feels weird.</p><p>They are from parallel worlds basically, being from different timelines. And Sasuke doesn't know this adult Naruto who controls himself more but is also more deadly; his last interaction with him was after he killed Danzo. They didn't fight in the war together, their bond is severed, basically….another reminder that in this fic Narusasu isn't a cutesy pairing of soulmates with healthy dinamics and that if it bothers you you shouldn't read or bitch. It's my fic ffs</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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